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The number of new private cars licensed for the first time increased by 17.0%
to 3,257 in September 2013 compared to September 2012, the CSO
said today. Used (imported) private
cars licensed for the first time were up 59.6% to 4,735 for the same period.
In total, there were 66,570 new private cars licensed in the year to the end of
September 2013, a fall of 7.0% compared to the same period in 2012. The
corresponding figure for 2013 in respect of used (imported) private cars was
37,437 and this was up 32.1% from 2012.

Alan Nolan, director general of SIMI, the
industry group, said last week "The market in 2013 has been very difficult for
the new car sales market with year to date registrations down 7% on 2012, which
was already 12% down on 2011. The introduction of the new 132 registration plate
in July has been the one bright spot in a very poor year, the second
registration period having improved this year’s performance from 15% down at the
end of May to 7% down at the end of September. The new dual registration plate
system helped to make the most of the very low retail market this year and will
continue to benefit the Industry and consumers in the future. However, there is
no concealing the fact that 2013 has been the second worst year since the
recession started. After 2009, with 59,000 new car registrations, this has
actually been the worst year since 1993.

It is in this context that the Industry is asking
the Government to consider introducing a ‘Swappage’ incentive (€2,000 VRT refund
on new car purchase if trading a six year old car or older) in this month’s
Budget. Such a scheme, as with Scrappage, will have no cost to the State, indeed
it should deliver an additional €80 million in VRT and VAT in addition to
supporting some 2,200 extra jobs in towns right across the country. The
additional jobs are worth an additional €50 million to the Exchequer.

In 2008, the Exchequer collected €2 billion in
VRT and VAT from new car sales. This year it will collect around €600 million.
Swappage will help commence a return to increased revenues as well as protecting
and increasing the 36,800 jobs currently in the Motor Industry."

The licensing figures show that:

The number of new goods vehicles licensed in September 2013 was 972, up
33.3% from September 2012.

In September 2013, the total number of all vehicles licensed was 16,659
compared with 7,916 in the corresponding month last year – an increase of
110.4%.

The total number of all new vehicles licensed during September 2013 was
6,636 compared with 3,999 during the same month in 2012 - an increase of
65.9%.

In September 2013, the total number of used (imported) private cars licensed
was 4,735 compared with 2,967 during September 2012 - an increase of 59.6%.

In September 2013, of the 3,257 new private cars licensed, 735 (22.6%) were
petrol and 2,465 (75.7%) were diesel.

The highest number of new private cars licensed in September 2013,
classified by make, was Volkswagen (476) followed by BMW (321), Toyota (310)
and Skoda (265)./LI>

The licensing figures refer to vehicles taxed for road use only and classified
by taxation class.

It should be noted that the three month transition period for motor tax gapping
provided for in the Non-Use of Motor Vehicles Act 2013 ended on September 30th
2013.

Licensing differs from registration in that a vehicle is licensed when a valid
motor tax disc is issued for the first time. Registration occurs when a vehicle
gets its licence plate (registration number) for the first time.